Tuesday, September 23, 2014

learning painting tips, painting a vision from a year ago raptors overhead in the warming sun after a grey cold day when we could sense winter approaching

most folks occupied many at the Climate March representing in person what we held sacred here alone just us the 2 of us.Is is so dry here that even a cloudburst last night is invisible. Except for the wind.

So we had thoughts about a big fire, or even a small fire in the woods but the land so waterless and us still needing to be able to sit and be comfortable we decided on the small close to the house fire pit and at first light only small branches in a metal bowl at the top of the trunk of an old xmas tree still holding up the sun chimes and serving as our sacred tree at this site. We placed or poured or tossed all our sacrifice into the not-yet-lit center and with patience and effort transferred the flame from the small contained embers to the short-lived intense blaze consuming it all.Let this fire be a good fire, Let it carry our prayers.

Just peaceful being here, being present remembering to take pictures not thinking about others only the others the Kindred the birds the bees the folks marching the Earth Mother each other.Sometimes and especially lately it has been hard. We are not yet done crying, at least I am not.

But this circle of seasons, so strange in its passing of time is so very grounding. Literally. Soon the ground will be covered with leaves, then snow. And then buds and vole tracks. Equinoxes are busy. This moment in time, almost imperceptible, and yet absolute. It is different now, afterward.

Cutting up the sassafras leaves and branches for the fire, putting out gathered sacrifice, staying on the time schedule almost as a means of remembering. We ask out loud a lot these days ”What day is it? What time is it?” and then soon afterward again ”What day is it? What time is it?” We have been rebalancing in all these changes- Earth changes life changes family changes health changes

It was a beautiful ritual, so lost in the meditation on and with the Earth, I came to the directions from far away it seemed.
Redirecting our energies with the orientation of this planet, bunny crackers, orange like fall, in handfuls like bunny poop in each direction. Not a trace of them the next morning.

The East of vision like the eagle or the hawk and rising each new day to that light and the South of our environmental lessons and our family of 400,000 peacefully gathered together due south of us and the West of our neighbors and the sun setting exactly on center and the North of the coming Winter and the White Buffalo and good healing for ourselves and our families and our Earth Mother. And the up and the down and the center.

Moth-full tortilla flour gifted with love to the Earth, falling in dust and clumps, she supports us all.

dark pink rose for Mananan, surrounding us with its scent and also fermented cider with intoxicating apple smell, then a white rose for Goddess Bridget and more cider in a circle with gratitude. Our outsiders offering towards the woods with kindness Bryan brought peach scraps, rotted parts and pits from our first harvest & processing of this year. He returned with the container filled with fresh whole fruit. Like a magic trick. Balancing and rebalancing.

dried flowers for the Ancestors-all our ancestors, those humans who were, our family, friends and family especially those recently passed, our teachers, our inspiration, artists from the last century, scientists and writers, farmers and actors, people who struggled and lived and loved and died.

garlic stalks from the last of last year’s harvest for the Spirits of Nature and Place-rocks and hummingbirds and crows and blue jays and bees and cats and wind and clouds and sun and all the water and waterways and animals and bugs and grass and flowers and seed heads and fruit and mold and rot and compost and so much more on this amazing planet.
dried Thuja branch trimmings for the Gods & Goddesses, the shining ones and the eventual match for our fire.

lighting the fire as final sacrifice and also tossing in the three corns-chips, crumbs & meal for the season.

Circles of offerings of circles letting go of old and no longer needed circles grateful for healing circles prayers for helpful new circles grapevine wreath from last year sweetgrass wreath from last season small wreath from my pocket

so gentle and focused just the two of us.

reaching into the endless bag of divination (it’s bigger on the inside) finding all or enough of the runes

from the Ancestors: Jera or harvest or a year
from the Spirits of Nature & Place: Berkanu or birch or beginnings
from the Gods & Goddesses: Kenaz or the torch or the shaping & crafting
for the Season: Fehu or fee. We get the same or some of the same omens a lot, we are being told to listen listen to what we know
hallowing the waters and a bit of mint flowers in the leftover smoldering smoke. 2 large glasses and a bit extra Bryan drinks his down continuously and slowly and I drink mine in several long sips with long breaths in between.

Oh thank you everyone, finish the cider all.

We sit and we hug We walk into the nemeton to see the sun set through the entrance due West from due East We talk about this life, this season, the dry stream, our growing son, changing times, the Earth Mother

Thursday, September 18, 2014

A lot has passed this season from summer to autumn. We have been through a lot and it is still not over, but we take each day as best we can, keeping on keeping on.

Lughnasa started with us struggling for normal, trying to pretend that we were ok, that we could deal, that life was fine. Catching up on meetings and work in between medicine and doctors appointments and keeping everyone informed. Not really cooking or cleaning, just wandering through the days. Waiting for Lughnasa and the turning of the wheel.

Grateful for simply us, normal, very personal ritual in our own time.

Eating magical food lovingly prepared and gifted by a friend who shared her ingredient list that reads like poetry with complex and delicate flavors to match.

Normally we share tasks, at that time I was just all too happy to be strong enough to gather sticks and wood, to build a fire, to set up for ritual, to have him here, and to gather together as family in sacred space and time.

Notes from Lughnasa: Everything you need is just at your feet, the woods dark, the waterfall a trickle.

Smudging the house from bottom to top, lighting the fire of love in the east & the south & the west & the north clearing our space with smoke and honoring with gratitude all positive energies clearing the air moving quicker as the house filled with smoke, though no alarms went off then the outside of the house and the sage busting into full flame outside the root cellar (may that be the only open fire to ever be near there)blessing our energy source and backup energy, garbage and mail, and our house shrine- secret grove and our gardens and fruiting plants and trees and the flowers and laying the shell of smudge finally on the earth.

Ready at the fire and just us getting together quietly, getting a glass of water, getting comfortable if possible within ourselves and with ourselves

3 gongs each different

the house shrine candle set a piece of wood alight
and with that our ritual
begun with the smudge without beginning
began on its own
this wood was lighter for the crown flame
and the central fire.

Let this fire be a good fire Let our prayers be heard Prayers for Peace with the world shared with the moon

Flower petals and whiskey and garlic stalks and chocolate chip cookies Our tincture for the Earth Mother teas and herbs and the last of last year’s sweet grass for final sacrifice

Family holding hands and om together around the fire 3 sets of omens plus 3 virtues

Endless gratitude and tears It is a gift to pray

Feel yourself be you Joy/Truth, Direction & Balance/Prayer, Attention& Defense/ Sacred Enclosure5 of Cups/The Magician/10 of Pentacles/ 9 of Cups Acknowledgement of our remaining strength Catalyst using all the tools Root energy of stability with all you need Satisfaction & appropriate movement Ur or the Heather/Saille or the Willow/Fearn or the Alder/ Onn or Gorse sweetness, bending, defensive & protective, shield for that which is precious